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Ohio Supreme Court's Ruling on Tobacco Funds

"State officials acted legally when they nearly emptied a fund intended for anti-smoking programs and earmarked the money for unrelated health-care purposes such as expanding Medicaid coverage, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled today.

The court's unanimous ruling was a $230 million victory for Gov. Ted Strickland's efforts in 2008 and 2009 to cobble together a state budget from various sources, including the tobacco money and revenue from slot machines at racetracks."